Yasmeen Khan (cricketer)

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Yasmeen Khan

| female = true

| image =

| country = Namibia

| fullname = Yasmeen Khan

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|1|7|df=yes}}

| birth_place = George, South Africa

| death_date =

| death_place =

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm medium

| role =

| international = true

| T20Idebutdate = 20 August

| T20Idebutyear = 2018

| T20Idebutagainst = Malawi

| T20Icap = 11

| lastT20Idate = 14 September

| lastT20Iyear = 2024

| lastT20Iagainst = Zimbabwe

| club1 = Western Province

| year1 = {{nowrap|2021/22–2022/23}}

| columns = 1

| column1 = WT20I

| matches1 = 78

| runs1 = 1,366

| bat avg1 = 22.93

| 100s/50s1 = 0/6

| top score1 = 78*

| deliveries1 = 156

| wickets1 = 9

| bowl avg1 = 13.44

| fivefor1 = 0

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 4/20

| catches/stumpings1 = 33/4

| date = 7 October 2024

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/1119578.html Cricinfo

}}

Yasmeen Khan (born 7 January 1999) is a Namibian cricketer and a former captain of the women's national cricket team.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/1119578.html |title=Yasmeen Khan |access-date=27 August 2019 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}}{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1329442 |title=Yasmeen Khan looking forward to putting Namibia in the spotlight |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=30 August 2019}} Currently the vice captain, she plays as a right-handed batter, right-arm medium pace bowler, and occasional wicket-keeper.

Early life

Khan was born in George, in the Western Cape province of South Africa.{{cite news |last1=Uugwanga |first1=Michael |title=Khan taking cricket by storm |url=https://confidentenamibia.com/khan-taking-cricket-by-storm/ |access-date=1 May 2022 |work=Confidente |date=5 November 2020 |language=en}} She and her parents moved to Namibia when she was less than a year old, and she was raised in Windhoek.{{cite news |last1=Raheel |first1=Natasha |title=Meet Yasmeen: Namibia's star cricketer |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2354603/meet-yasmeen-namibias-star-cricketer |access-date=1 May 2022 |work=The Express Tribune |date=28 April 2022 |language=en}} Her father is from Karachi, Pakistan, and is a cricket fanatic.{{cite web|url=https://femalecricket.com/interviews/23624-interview-yasmeen-khan-vice-captain-of-namibia-womens-cricket-team.html |title=Interview: Yasmeen Khan – Vice Captain of Namibia Women's Cricket Team |work=Female Cricket |date=17 April 2022 |access-date=1 May 2022}} Her mother is even more passionate about sports.

As a young child, Khan would watch cricket on television with her father. She also played the game in the backyard at home. In 2022, she reminisced with The Express Tribune about visiting Karachi as a six year old, and seeing boys playing cricket in the streets: "... it was so intense, yet looked fun." At the age of 10, she felt old enough to become a member of the boys' cricket team at primary school, and decided to take up the game in a formal sense.

Initially, Khan played for the u/13 boys team. Over time, she progressed to the u/17s, then the second team, and finally the first team. She found that playing against boys was a challenge, as they hit harder and bowled faster. They also had a lot of banter about girls playing cricket, but Khan has said that her teammates never undermined her. Her role models were Pakistani cricketers Shahid Afridi, and, especially, Younis Khan, who influenced her batting style. She has also been inspired by Novak Djokovic and Alyssa Healy.

The year after starting to play school cricket, Khan joined the u/13 girls national team. In 2013, aged 14, she was called up to the women's national team. In 2018, after matriculating, she took a gap year to train and play cricket for her country.

Domestic career

At the domestic level in Namibia, Khan plays for the Zebras Cricket Club, as an all rounder.

For the 2021–22 season of the Cricket South Africa Women's Provincial Programme, Khan was recruited by the Western Province team. She made her debut for the team on 12 February 2022, in a match against KwaZulu-Natal Inland.{{cite web |title=End of the innings. |url=https://www.facebook.com/WPWomensCricket/posts/5371557159539478 |website=Western Province Women's Cricket |publisher=Facebook |access-date=2 May 2022 |language=en |date=12 February 2022}}

International career

In 2013, after being called up to the national team at the age of 14, Khan played for the team in a tournament in Tanzania later in the year. However, at that stage of her life she gave priority to her school schedule and commitments.

Khan made her Women's Twenty20 International (WT20I) debut for Namibia on 20 August 2018, against Malawi in the 2018 Botswana Cricket Association Women's T20I Series in Gaborone, Botswana.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1158345.html |title=2nd Match, Botswana Cricket Association Women's T20I Series at Gaborone (Oval 2), Aug 20 2018 |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=27 August 2019}} She also captained the team in what was its first ever WT20I match.{{cite web|url=https://www.womenscriczone.com/report/botswana-7s-tournament-a-complete-round-up/ |title=Botswana 7s tournament: A complete round-up |work=Women's Criczone |date=30 August 2018 |access-date=27 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190104110756/https://www.womenscriczone.com/report/botswana-7s-tournament-a-complete-round-up/ |archive-date=4 January 2019 |url-status=dead}} Later in the tournament, she led Namibia to the final, including by scoring 61 against Lesotho.{{cite news |title=Full Scorecard of NAM Women vs LES Women 11th Match 2018 - Score Report |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/bca-women-s-t20i-series-2018-1158333/lesotho-women-vs-namibia-women-11th-match-1158354/full-scorecard |access-date=1 May 2022 |work=ESPNcricinfo}} In the final, in which Namibia defeated Sierra Leone by nine wickets, she was player of the match for scoring 37 runs in 38 balls.

In January 2019, Khan captained Namibia in a bilateral series against Zimbabwe played at Walvis Bay, Namibia.{{cite web |title=Zimbabwe Women tour of Namibia - Cricket Schedules, Updates, Results |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/zim-women-in-namibia-2018-19-1171097/match-results |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=1 May 2022}} Three months later, she led Namibia in another home bilateral series, against Botswana in Windhoek.{{cite web |title=Botswana Women tour of Namibia, BOT-W in Namibia 2019 score, Match schedules, fixtures, points table, results, news |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/bot-w-in-namibia-2019-1179005 |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=1 May 2022}} Namibia lost the first series,{{cite news |last1=Sibanda |first1=Mehluli |title=Lady Chevrons buzzing after white wash |url=https://www.sundaynews.co.zw/lady-chevrons-buzzing-after-white-wash/ |access-date=2 May 2022 |work=The Sunday News (Bulawayo) |date=13 January 2019}} but won the second, with Khan topping the batting averages in the latter series.{{cite web |title=Botswana Women in Namibia T20I Series, 2019 - Namibia Women Cricket Team Records & Stats |url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=12947;team=4995;type=series |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=1 May 2022}}

Khan then captained her team in the ICC Women's Qualifier Africa in Harare, Zimbabwe. After topping group B, Namibia was defeated by Zimbabwe in the final, a result from which, according to Khan, the team took "... a lot of positives ..."{{cite web |title='Even though we have lost, we take a lot of positives' – Namibia skipper Yasmeen Khan |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1219648 |website=www.icc-cricket.com |access-date=1 May 2022 |language=en |date=14 May 2019}} Zimbabwe therefore qualified for both the 2019 ICC Women's World Twenty20 Qualifier and the 2021 Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournaments.{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/1204489 |title=Just two steps away from World Cup spots for teams in Women's Qualifiers |work=International Cricket Council |accessdate=30 April 2019}} However, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) later barred Zimbabwe for a short time from taking part in ICC events,{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/1288479 |title=ICC board and full council concludes in London |work=International Cricket Council |accessdate=18 July 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/27216123/zimbabwe-suspended-icc-government-interference |title=Zimbabwe suspended by ICC over 'government interference' |work=ESPN Cricinfo |accessdate=18 July 2019}} Namibia replaced the Zimbabwe team in the first of those two tournaments.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/1196860.html |title=Nigeria awarded men's T20 World Cup Qualifiers entry |work=ESPN Cricinfo |accessdate=6 August 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1301620 |title=Namibia and Nigeria to compete in ICC Women's and Men's T20 World Cup Qualifiers |work=International Cricket Council |accessdate=6 August 2019}}

In August 2019, Khan led Namibia in the Twenty20 Qualifier, which was held in Scotland.{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/1319297 |title=Match official appointments and squads announced for ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier 2019 |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=21 August 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-08/21/c_138326975.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822080340/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-08/21/c_138326975.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 August 2019 |title=Namibia announces women's cricket World Cup qualifier squad |work=Xinhua News |access-date=22 August 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/1327656 |title=Captains ready for Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=28 August 2019}} She was Namibia's leading run-scorer in the tournament, with 55 runs in five matches.{{cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=13226;team=4995;type=tournament |title=ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier, 2019 - Namibia Women: Batting and bowling averages |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=7 September 2019}}

During 2020, Khan stepped down from the captaincy of the team, as her studies were placing a lot of demands and responsibilities on her. At about the same time, after suffering a back injury, she took up wicket-keeping, a role that she has since taken on when it is helpful to the national team for her to do so.

In May 2021, Khan was named as Namibia's vice-captain for the 2021 Kwibuka Women's T20 Tournament in Kigali, Rwanda.{{cite web|url=https://www.womenscriczone.com/irene-van-zyl-backs-namibia-batting-to-come-good-in-kwibuka-t20-tournament |title=Irene van Zyl backs Namibia batting to come good in Kwibuka T20 Tournament |work=Women's CricZone |access-date=2 June 2021}} In the tenth match, against Botswana, she scored 31*,{{cite news |title=Full Scorecard of NAM Women vs BOT Women 6th Match 2021 - Score Report |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/kwibuka-women-s-twenty20-2021-1265208/botswana-women-vs-namibia-women-6th-match-1265218/full-scorecard |access-date=1 May 2022 |work=ESPNcricinfo}} and in the first semi-final, against Nigeria, she was player of the match, with 78*. After Kenya defeated Namibia in the final, she was named in the team of the tournament,{{cite web|url=https://nation.africa/kenya/sports/cricket/kenya-win-fourth-kwibuka-women-s-twenty20-title-in-kigali-3435780 |title=Kenya win fourth Kwibuka Women's Twenty20 title in Kigali |work=Daily Nation |date=13 June 2021 |access-date=14 June 2021}} selected by the Rwanda Cricket Association.{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2171251 |title=Global Game: Kenya win the Kwibuka T20 Women Tournament, beat Namibia in Finals |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=14 June 2021}} In September 2021, she played in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier in Gaborone, Botswana, in which Namibia finished as one of the four teams to advance to the next Qualifier.{{cite news |last1=Schütz |first1=Helge |title=Namibia through to semis |url=https://www.namibian.com.na/6213416/archive-read/Namibia-through-to-semis |access-date=1 May 2022 |work=The Namibian |date=16 September 2021 |language=en}} In Namibia's 2020/21 Cricket Annual Awards, she was named as the national team's batter of the year.{{cite web |title=Newsletter - An Exciting Year for Cricket Namibia |url=https://www.cricexec.com/2022/03/01/newsletter-an-exciting-year-for-cricket-namibia/ |website=cricexec |access-date=2 May 2022 |language=en |date=1 March 2022}}

In April 2022, Khan played in the 2022 Capricorn Women's Tri-Series in Windhoek. In the first match of the tournament, between Namibia and Zimbabwe, she scored 36 to take a prominent role in Namibia's first ever victory against a full member of the ICC.{{cite web |last1=Nixon |first1=Andrew |title=Namibia women beat Zimbabwe in closely fought contest |url=https://www.cricketeurope.com/DATABASE/ARTICLES2022/articles/000004/000412.shtml |website=Cricket Europe |access-date=1 May 2022 |language=en |date=20 April 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Schütz |first1=Helge |title=Great start by the Capricorn Eagles |url=https://www.namibian.com.na/111902/read/Great-start-by-the-Capricorn-Eagles |access-date=2 May 2022 |work=The Namibian |date=22 April 2022 |language=en}} Zimbabwe later beat Namibia in the final of the tri-series, by seven wickets.{{cite news |title=Full Scorecard of NAM Women vs Zim Women Final 2022 - Score Report |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/capricorn-women-s-tri-series-2022-1310881/namibia-women-vs-zimbabwe-women-final-1310896/full-scorecard |access-date=1 May 2022 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}

Off the field

{{As of|2022}}, Khan was studying visual communications and graphics. She enjoys music, and sometimes plays the guitar, not as well as she would like. She is also a photographer and designer.